Beef tongue: how to cook - proven recipes and important nuances

Amount of time for cooking

How long should you cook beef tongue to make it tasty? We answer – 2-2.5 hours. Some recipes say that the cooking time for this meat should be at least 4 hours. This is wrong. If you cook the tongue for more than 3 hours, it will be too soft and tasteless, and it does not matter what kind of dish it was cooked for. In addition, digestion of this ingredient risks the fact that it will almost completely lose all its beneficial and nutritional properties. And, as you know, a cow’s tongue contains a huge amount of vitamins, which would be unwise to lose during cooking.

The amount of time for cooking depends on the size of the tongue and its “age”. The larger the tongue, the longer it will need to be boiled. But you shouldn't do this for more than 2.5 hours. This time will be quite enough. If the tongue is small, you should cook it for 2 hours, but if it is very small, still let it cook for this time, only in this case you will need to reduce the heat a little after an hour and a half of cooking. So, we’ve decided over time, now let’s look at how to cook beef tongue.

Useful and harmful properties of beef tongue

✅ Useful

• is a dietary product rich in protein, has a beneficial effect on the formation of muscle tissue, the condition of hair and skin. Contains low cholesterol. Useful for gastritis and ulcers;
• the product contains a large list of B vitamins. They normalize metabolism and are responsible for the functioning of the nervous system;
• contains vitamins PP, E, as well as essential minerals. Helps fight insomnia and fatigue;
• high iron content helps maintain hemoglobin levels;
• used to prevent diabetes mellitus.

Due to its dietary properties, the tongue is recommended even for pregnant women and those who need recovery from an illness.

❌ Harmful

• regular use can negatively affect the condition of the liver and kidneys, especially in older people;
• excessive consumption can aggravate the condition of chronic diseases, problems with the thyroid gland;
• There are cases of individual intolerance.

See also: How long and how to cook turkey liver correctly

Try sometimes replacing your usual store-bought sausage with delicious sliced ​​beef tongue. With this you will not only diversify your table, but also include an extremely healthy product in your diet.

Preparing the tongue for cooking

• First you need to buy the right meat. The main rule for preparing delicious beef tongue is freshness. Do not take meat that has an unpleasant odor. A fresh tongue is light brown; if the tongue is from a young cow, it will be pinkish. The color of the tongue should be uniform; if you notice darkening in some places of the piece, discard it, as it is most likely not fresh.
• Now the meat needs to be kept in cold water for several hours. First, clean it with a kitchen brush. You can do this in the sink. Once you have properly cleaned your tongue, place it in a pan filled with cold water. Change the water every half hour, as it will become room temperature, and cold water is important here.
• After 2 hours have passed, change the water again and add some black peppercorns and bay leaf. If desired, bay leaf can be replaced with sage. There are many ways to add a delicious flavor to beef tongue when cooked. You can add cloves, dried onions or green peppers to the pan, in short, any seasoning and spice that you like.

General information about the criteria for choosing a language for cooking

1. Beef tongue, like all offal, has its own specific smell and taste. In young animals, the smell is less pronounced and the taste is softer, more “neutral”.
2. Veal tongue has a mass of 1.0 - 1.2 kg. Whatever the butcher tells you about the age of the animal, believe not the words, but the scales and eyes.
3. If there are spots on the beef tongue, this will not affect its taste at all. This appearance is characteristic of certain breeds of livestock.
4. Buy only from reputable butchers at the market or supermarkets with a “good purchasing history of meat products” (similar to a good credit history).
5. I would not recommend buying frozen tongue for cooking. Who knows how many times it was re-frozen.
6. You should only use a frozen product if you froze it yourself and defrosted it only once - before cooking.
7. Cooking fresh or frozen beef tongue makes no difference. Defrost in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Take into account the fact that it will take quite a long time to thaw. The fact of pre-freezing will not affect the taste in any way.
8. When purchasing, pay attention to how ready the product is for heat treatment - whether all excess has been cut off from it. In the markets, very often, along with the expensive muscle - the beef tongue itself - they sell all the waste - the larynx, cartilage, etc. Ask the butcher to remove the scraps or lower the price slightly.

Let's start cooking the tongue

• Place the pan with meat on maximum heat . Be sure to cover the pot with a lid, as this will allow the water to boil much faster. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat as much as possible and open the lid slightly. It is important that the tongue is not just boiled in water, but “languished”, therefore, the fire should be very small.
• There is no need to finish cooking the tongue even when it is pierced well with a knife. If you don't cook it long enough, namely 2 hours, the meat will be very tough, so much so that you won't even be able to cut it.
• After 2-2.5 hours, remove the tongue from the boiling water using kitchen tongs. Now you need to put it in a container filled with cold water. This is not at all difficult to do. If you notice overcooked fibers on a piece that stick out and spoil the aesthetics, remove them with a knife.
• Then, you should wait until the tongue has cooled completely. If you change the cold water every 5-7 minutes, half an hour will be enough for it to cool completely.

So, we told you how to cook beef tongue. Now let's look at the steps to take next.

How to boil a tongue in a saucepan

The decoration of any holiday table is a skillfully prepared tongue aspic. This is a culinary masterpiece that should not disappoint in either its appearance or taste. You can boil the salad for aspic according to the same procedure as for the salad. But we must take into account that not only the meat product will be used, but also the decoction, which must be combined with gelatin.

Aspic is prepared at home from any language. The most delicious and tender of veal, richer of pork, classic of beef. The tongue is boiled in two waters: the first is drained 10-15 minutes after boiling, in the second the product is boiled with salt and spices, roots, carrots, and onions.

After cooling, the tongue must be thoroughly peeled and cut into portions. For aspic, it is better to prepare plates of the same size. It is convenient to use special cutting molds. The leftover meat product can be used to prepare other equally delicious dishes.

Next, the aspic is prepared according to any available broth-based recipe. You can decorate it with vegetables that have been boiled (usually carrots) or canned peas, sprigs of dill, parsley leaves, lemon slices, olives, boiled eggs. Fantasy and photos of finished dishes will help you cope with the task.

Knowing how to properly boil tongue in a saucepan, you can prepare delicious dishes that will decorate the table.

Actions with a boiled tongue

• When the tongue is at room temperature, place it on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to remove the roots located on the back of the tongue. Since beef tongue is not a lean meat, you should not be afraid to work with it.
• If you do not plan to cook any dish with this ingredient, you should cut it like sausage and make sandwiches with it, or eat it just like that. To do this, the tongue is cut into equal pieces, approximately half a centimeter each, and placed on a beautiful dish. The tongue can be served.

In fact, there are many recipes for cooking dishes with beef tongue. Below we present one of the most interesting recipes.

How is this unique language useful?

Beef tongue has long been famous for its nutritional properties. In addition to the fact that it is very nutritious, it also contains a complex of vitamins necessary for full human health. The energy value of the finished cooked product is:

• 16% protein;
• 12% fat;
• 2.2% carbohydrates.

Obviously, it is a low-calorie product, which means it is well suited for those who adhere to health-improving diets. At the same time, the amount of protein can provide the human brain with the compounds necessary for full functioning.

Cleaning Boiled Beef Tongue

Beef tongue contains a large complex of vitamin compounds. Among them are the majority belonging to group B:

• Folic acid;
• Riboflavin;
• Thiamine;
• Pyridoxine.

Beef tongue also contains vitamins E, A, and PP in large quantities. In order for the human body to be sufficiently supplied with vitamin B12, it will be enough to eat 70 grams of boiled tongue.

In addition to vitamins, beef offal also contains a large amount of microminerals. Among them:

• Phosphorus inclusions;
• Zinc elements;
• Iron;
• Potassium compounds;
• Chromium in chelated form;
• Magnesium;
• Copper.

In addition to the fact that beef tongue is simply beneficial for humans, it can also help in the treatment of certain diseases. Due to the fact that this piece of beef is absolutely devoid of connective tissue, it is ideally absorbed by the human body. Therefore, it can be successfully taken as food by people who suffer from stomach ulcers, gastritis and anemia. Also, if you have to deal with problems such as insomnia and migraines, eat this offal regularly. You will quickly forget about these problems.

Beef tongue in grape sauce

This is an American recipe whose name is not without humor. The sauce in the dish is made not from grapes, but from raisins. List of required ingredients:

• Beef tongue.
• Several onions.
• Carrot.
• A piece of butter for frying.
• Celery.
• Garlic.
• Raisins (30 g).
• Tomato paste.
• White wine (1-2 spoons).

Cooking:

• The tongue should be cooked over low heat. When 1.5 hours have passed, add chopped vegetables to it. It is recommended to cut vegetables into large pieces, this will make the dish tastier.
• Cook the meat and vegetables for about 30 minutes . Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool at room temperature.
• While the tongue with vegetables is cooling, you should make the sauce . To do this, fry the onions in a frying pan. You only need to fry them in butter. When the onion turns slightly golden, add the raisins. You can also add chopped almonds here. Fry the onions with raisins, stirring all the time. After 5-6 minutes, add tomato paste and wine. Salt the sauce.
• The cooled tongue needs to be cleaned and cut . You can cut it however you like: into strips, cubes, slices, etc. Once you have done this, pour the tongue into the container in which the dish will be served. Pour the prepared sauce over the meat.
• To make the meat tastier, let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Beef tongue is ready!

This meat is also used to prepare salads, cook soups and broths, make roasts, in a word, I use it in any way you like. The main thing in preparing tongue is to cook it for at least 2 hours, but no more than 2.5 hours.

How to cook beef tongue: delicious recipes

Beef tongue is considered a delicacy due to its soft and tender texture, vitamins and nutrients contained in its composition. You can often find it beautifully decorated on a holiday table. The structure of the tongue is a solid muscle, so its main component is proteins; carbohydrates and fats are practically absent. Beef tongue is easy to digest, as it contains a minimal amount of connective tissue. It is the latter fact that makes it a dietary dish. However, in order to preserve these wonderful and useful qualities of the tongue, you need to prepare it correctly.

The main component of beef tongue is proteins, which are easily digestible in the human body. It is low in carbohydrates and lipids, so it can be included in low-carbohydrate diets aimed at weight loss. It is rich in B vitamins and contains large amounts of microelements such as iron, magnesium, and potassium.

Nutrient content:

The product is recommended for use by people who suffer from anemia and cardiovascular diseases. It is also useful for pregnant and lactating women, helping to cope with headaches and insomnia.

If you cook beef tongue correctly, it turns out very soft and juicy. The special taste allows you to easily combine it with a variety of dishes. Thanks to this, there are a large number of recipes in cooking that include this offal.

Ready-made boiled tongue is perfect for slicing on a festive table, especially if it is decorated with herbs, vegetables, berries and sauce. You can not only boil it, but also stew it, fry it in breadcrumbs, marinate, grill it, in a slow cooker and pressure cooker. Baked beef tongue with vegetables in the oven is quite popular, especially in combination with cheese and mushrooms. Often on the holiday table you can find aspic or jellied meat made from it. Many housewives use this product to make rolls, casseroles and homemade sausage.

When buying beef tongue in the meat department of a store or at the market, first of all you need to pay attention to the color of the offal: if it is fresh, the color will be slightly purple or pink.

The more zinc and iron in beef tongue, the darker purple it will be.

Smell plays an important role, so be sure to smell the offal. Fresh has a slightly sweet aroma. If you feel a hint of ammonia, mold, or rot, then it is definitely spoiled and you should not buy it.

This offal has good elasticity, so if you press on it with your finger, the hole will immediately straighten out. If it is flabby and very soft, and is in no hurry to restore its shape, it means that it has been frozen several times, which will certainly result in a loss of taste and nutritional qualities. If the purchase is made in an unfamiliar place, then it is best to ask the seller for a veterinary certificate: this will eliminate various negative consequences.

Preparing this delicacy at home is not too difficult a task, but it is time-consuming. If you plan to make a dish from tongue, you need to start the cooking process in advance. There is no need to rush, because if you do not withstand the required cooking period, the meat will turn out tough and tasteless.

In cooking, there are a large number of recipes based on beef tongue. In order not to spoil them, but, on the contrary, to give them a more expressive taste, you need to properly boil the main ingredient.

Before starting cooking, it must be completely filled with cold water for 30 minutes: this will help quickly clean it of surface contaminants, and also make it more tender and soft. Then you need to rinse it under running water. Fat is trimmed off if desired. At this stage, it is not recommended to peel the meat, as it will be quite difficult and you may accidentally cut off valuable flesh.

In order to cook beef tongue, it is necessary to use large dishes, since during cooking it will increase in size due to swelling. Cold water is poured into the container and placed on fire. After boiling, the offal is immersed in the pan.

You need to cook the tongue over low heat, avoiding a strong boil, so that the water only boils a little. Active cooking will not speed up the preparation of the dish, but will only worsen the taste of the meat. You can cook it in two waters: first boil it for 15 minutes, then drain the water and add new water, continuing to cook. This will get rid of the specific smell. As you cook, remember to remove the foam with a slotted spoon. There is no need to add salt at the initial stage of cooking, otherwise the meat will turn out tough.